New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-28
, srocK 4RGUvENr REFrTE".

The country has not been ruined by Demo-
cratic Administration. This is the stock argyll
mcnt in favor Of the Presidents reelection.
The Republican leaders arc charged wi'h
deliberate attempt TO frChtcn voters in lSSl
bv predicting the destruction Of National IN
du>trics and the prostration Of business IN
tcrcsts in the event Of an election Of Demo-
cratic President This appeal 10 panic fear,
it. is. asserted cannot be made second time
This arcumont deserves serious conNldcrl-
ton because il is likely to be the chief stock
i'm trade in the Democratic canvass Of next
wear. II is based on false premise, since
il assumes that Rcpul lcan apps To the buS-
ness interests in 1851 were based solely upon
the danger 20 bc apprchcndcG from the election
Of a Democratic President Those appeals
were grounded upon the trim iph of the Demo-
cratic party all along the iirc-upon Nr 'l'vc-
lands election and the return If Democratic
majority to the House Of Representatives suii-
cicutly strong to secure the paSS1g" Of free
trade lcgiI and upon the capture Of
sufficient number of state leg. I1tuIc> to con-
vert the Senate into Democratic stronghold.
The Republican party in ISL was not only
struggling for the Presidency hut also for the
reduction Of The Democratic majority III ihc
House and for the maintenance Of il control
of the senate. The Democratic party elected
lis Prcsidcn, by tho narrowcst margin. but it
lost ground in the House and fa'lcd to rcycis"
the political condition., in the senate. II was
n partial and not a complete and decisive vic
tory. II was not the overwhelming triumph
against which Rcpul lcan leaders had sounded
a warning when they reminded the business
community II he frcc-tIadc t"nGcnclcS Of 'on-
tcmplatcd Democratic LEGISLATION and Of the
disastrous consequences which might follow If
Mr.. Carlisle and Mr. Morrison were allowed 4
free hand.
What was the immediate result II this in
complete victory II the Democratic party
The business community settled down At once
80 a conviction that frcc-tradc Legislation
would hc impncticablc for at least TWO years.
with their reduced majority the Democrats
would not be atic To oycrluIn the tarill system
and even il Proicdionisis like Mr. Randall
could be- whipped in 10 the support Of Nr.
Morrison'S measures, the Republican senate
could be depended upon to save American in
dustrics from destruction. This conviction
was again strengthened in 1856 when the Dem
ocralic majority in the House was reduced still
further. If the Democratic party had achicgcd
. sweeping triumph in 1851. American indus
tries would have been monaccd with hostile
legislation aud feeling II universal distrust
WHICH would have disturbed the business IN
tcrcsts Of the country would inevitably have
been created.
1t is the height Of folly to give Democratic
Administration credit for avcrting disasters
which the Republican party alone prevented
by It's increased strength IN the House and its
undsturbcd possession Of the Senate Tho
appeal made To the business community in
1881 can be repeated next year with cumu-
Iitivc force Mr.. Cleveland as Il candidate
did not dare TO say ten words about the tariff
and PrOtcctionist Democrats asserted in every
doubtful State that he was not Free Trader
He is now known TO be hostile TO the tariff
and has recommended drastic legislation in
House TO be elected next year be strongly
Democratic. fIcc-tIadc measures Will certainly
be passed and the Senate, which is now evenly
divided between the parties. cannot be de
pended upon in future TO avert the disastrous
consequences Of such legislation. The facts
Of the situation will have To be looked in the
face next year II the business classes listen
to the false cry that "Rcpublican talk about
ruin under a Democratic Administration was
only harmless campaign thunder" they viii
be deceived by cuckoo song.
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